Date & Miso Glazed Carrot Salad

When you finally grow your own carrots, perhaps the ugliest carrots you’ve ever seen, there is only one things to do and that’s to make a delicious rustic carrot salad make these ugly beauties shine. Ugly, homegrown carrots are not essential but the joy in growing and picking them was immense so I highly recommend growing your own! There is something very fulfilling about cooking and eating the food you have grown yourself. We don’t have a lot of room in our yard, and I’ve never planted carrots before - so if I can do it, anyone can! Enjoy this recipe - it’s sure to be a hit on any table!

Date Miso Glazed Carrots

1 cup dates

1 tsp miso paste

1 cup of water

1/2 lime juice

1 kg baby carrots (ugly or pretty)

Roasted Chickpeas

1 can chick peas. Drained and rinsed.

1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp dukka

Tahini Miso Dressing

1 tbsp tahini

1 tsp miso paste

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

1/2 lime juice

2 tsp white wine vinegar

To serve

Fresh spinach

1 tbsp pepita seeds

1 tbsp sunflower seeds

Fresh mint and tarragon

Vegan Diary Cheese or a soft vegan cheese

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C degrees

Finely chop up the dates ensuring there are no pips. Add to a saucepan with the miso paste, lime juice and half the water. Cook on a medium heat stirring regularly. It will become quite thick as the dates absorb the water. Continue to add more water until all water is added and a thick glaze is formed.

Coat the carrots in the glaze and place in the oven for 45 minutes. Flip the carrots half way.

Coat the chickpeas with spices and place on a baking tray. Cook for 30 minutes.

Place all ingredients for the dressing in a jar and shake well. Add more water for a thinner consistency.

Toast seeds in a frying pan on a medium to high heat until golden in colour.

Place a bed of spinach in a serving bowl, add carrots, chickpeas, toasted seeds, fresh herbs, vegan dairy cheese, and drizzle over dressing.